The Sahel is experiencing utter destabilization. Almost all countries of the region, starting with Mali, then Niger, Chad, more recently Burkina Faso, and to a certain extent northern Nigeria, are falling apart and suffering from a series of factors that conspire to destroy them. Analysts in Europe in particular tend to insist that the presence of Jihadi groups, environmental disaster, poverty and ethnic conflicts are the main sources of trouble, we must also include the foreign military presence as a major driver of instability in the reagion.
While the French military meddling in the Sahel was initially (and still labeled) as a mission of mercy to save those countries against the Islamist threat, the presence of French troops and their inability to secure the region have exacerbated the crisis. They also highlight the unwillingness of Paris to find a political solution to the crisis, which would mean a loss if influence. All in all, it may be intuitive to think that in the face of a tough insurgency, a natural response is a tougher counter-insurgency. But this is not working in the Sahel and here’s why..
